Seamless scrunchy

ABSTRACT

A seamless scrunchy includes an inner elastic member and an outer tube. The inner elastic member of the scrunchy lacks a seam or a knot, which may eliminate discomfort that might otherwise be caused by a conventional scrunchy.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

A claim for priority to the Jun. 5, 2019 filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/857,731, titled SEAMLESS SCRUNCHY (“the '731 Provisional Application”), is hereby made pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(e). The entire disclosure of the '731 Provisional Application is hereby incorporated herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to accessories for hair, and more specifically, to scrunchies, which are capable of holding gathered hair, such as ponytails. More specifically, this disclosure relates to scrunchies that lack knots or enlarged seams to hold gathered hair in place. In some embodiments, a scrunchy according to this disclosure may include an elastic element that lacks a seam.

RELATED ART

Scrunchies have long been used to hold gathered hair, such as ponytails, in place. A scrunchy typically includes an inner elastic element and an outer tube of fabric. The inner elastic element typically comprises an elongated element that has been introduced into a conduit that extends through the length of the outer tube. The outer tube typically comprises a strip of fabric with edges that have been sewn together to define a tube. The outer tube of fabric is typically compressed or shortened (e.g., gathered) and the inner elastic element is typically inserted into and through the outer tube of fabric, with ends of the inner elastic element protruding beyond ends of the outer tube of fabric. The ends of the inner elastic element are then secured together—typically with glue or by way of a knot—to provide the inner elastic element with a loop shape. The ends of the outer tube may then be sewn or otherwise secured to each other.

The inclusion of a seam or knot in a scrunchy does not usually present any issues when the scrunchies is worn during daily activities, while an individual sits, stands, walks, exercises or conducts other activities in an at least partially upright orientation. However, the knot can be problematic when the individual rests her head (e.g., while lying down to rest, while sleeping, etc.), particularly when the individual's head rests on the seam or knot. As the seam or knot exerts pressure and creates a pressure point against the individual's head, it can cut off the supply of blood to part of the individual's scalp, which can be uncomfortable and have adversely affect the individual's ability to rest or sleep peacefully.

The use of glue to hold the ends of the inner elastic element together is also somewhat undesirable since the glue may provide a weak point around the circumference of the looped inner elastic element. As tension is introduced across a glued seam, the seam may break, requiring that the scrunchy be discarded and replaced.

SUMMARY

A scrunchy according to this disclosure includes an inner elastic element that has a looped, or circular, configuration, but lacks a knot or an enlarged seam. In some embodiments, the inner elastic element may have a looped configuration that lacks a seam. The inner elastic element may comprise or consist of fabric (e.g., a knitted yarn, woven threads or yarn, etc.). Such an inner elastic element may be manufactured by weaving a stretchable elongated tube from a suitable yarn (e.g., a stretchable yarn, a non-stretchable yarn with a stretchable weave, a stretchable yarn with a stretchable weave, etc.). The tube may then be cut transversely to its longitudinal axis to provide a plurality of continuous loops, or rings. As each ring is cut from the stretchable elongated tube, the edges of each ring may curl or roll inwardly upon a midsection, or centerline, that extends around a circumference of the ring, imparting each ring and the inner elastic element it defines with a shape that resembles a torus. Each ring may define an inner elastic element of the scrunchy.

An outer tube, or a sleeve, of the scrunchy may comprise a gathered fabric. The outer tube may also have a looped, or circular or cylindrical, configuration. The outer tube may define an annular interior, within which the inner elastic element may reside. The outer tube may comprise a material that will prevent the scrunchy from slipping off of the gathered hair. As an example, the sleeve may comprise a velvet or velvet-like material, although any of a variety of different fabrics may be used to form the outer tube. In some embodiments, the fabric may comprise a water-resistant fabric or a waterproof fabric, which may provide an embodiment of scrunchy that does not retain water when it gets wet. The outer tube may be made by wrapping a section, or strip, of fabric around the inner elastic element, and then securing (e.g., thermally bonding, sewing, gluing, etc.) edges of the strip of fabric together to impart it with a tubular configuration and securing (e.g., thermally bonding, sewing, gluing, etc.) ends of the strip of fabric together to impart it with a looped configuration.

In use, an individual's hair may be gathered together, the scrunchy may be stretched to increase a size of its central opening, and then the gathered hair may be introduced through the central opening of the scrunchy. The scrunchy may then be twisted and doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc., over to enable the scrunchy to firmly grasp the gathered hair. The scrunchy may be moved into place (e.g., to a location adjacent to the individual's head, etc.) along the gathered hair.

Other aspects of the disclosed subject matter, as well as features and advantages of various aspects of the disclosed subject matter, will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art though consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawing, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a scrunchy according to this disclosure, which includes an inner elastic element;

FIG. 2 is a split cross-sectional-outer view of the embodiment of scrunchy shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a technique for defining inner elastic elements of a scrunchy according to this disclosure;

FIGS. 4-6 respectively provide perspective, end, and side views of an embodiment of an inner elastic element for a scrunchy; and

FIGS. 7A-7C show an embodiment of a method for defining an outer tube of an embodiment of a scrunchy according to this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a scrunchy 10 and an outer tube 30 thereof. In addition to the outer tube 30, the scrunch 10 includes an inner elastic member 20, as depicted by FIG. 2.

The inner elastic member 20 may comprise or consist of fabric (e.g., a knitted yarn, woven threads or yarn, etc.). The inner elastic member 20 may have an annular shape, or a ring shape. The inner elastic member 20 may comprise a continuous loop. Thus, the inner elastic member 20 may lack two ends of an elongated element that have been secured to each other, such as a seam or a knot. In some embodiments, the shape of the inner elastic member 20 may resemble the shape of a torus (i.e., a doughnut shape).

Such an inner elastic element 20 may be manufactured by weaving a stretchable elongated tube 200, such as that depicted by FIG. 3, from a suitable yarn (e.g., a stretchable yarn, a non-stretchable yarn with a stretchable weave, a stretchable yarn with a stretchable weave, etc.). The stretchable elongated tube 200 may then be cut transversely to its longitudinal axis to provide a plurality of continuous loops, or rings 20′, each of which defines an inner elastic member 20 (FIGS. 2 and 4-6). As each ring 20′ is cut from the stretchable elongated tube 200, the edges 22 and 24 of each ring 20′ may curl or roll inwardly into an aperture 26 of the ring 20′. More specifically, the edges 22 and 24 of the ring 20′ may curl or roll toward a midsection that extends around a circumference of the ring 20′. This curling or rolling may impart the ring 20′ and the inner elastic member 20 it defines with a shape that resembles a torus, as can be seen from FIGS. 4-6. Without limitation, each inner elastic member 20 may be configured in the manner described by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/400,031, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein.

With returned reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer tube 30 of the scrunchy 10 may comprise a gathered fabric. The outer tube 30 may also have a looped, or circular or cylindrical, configuration. The outer tube 30 may define an annular interior 31, within which the inner elastic element 20 may reside. The outer tube 30 may comprise a material that will prevent the scrunchy from slipping off of the gathered hair. As an example, the outer tube 30 may comprise a velvet or velvet-like material, although any of a variety of different fabrics may be used to form the outer tube 30. In some embodiments, the fabric may comprise a water-resistant fabric or a waterproof fabric, which may provide an embodiment of scrunchy 10 that does not retain water when it gets wet.

Turning now to FIG. 7A, the outer tube 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2) may be made from a strip of fabric 30′. The strip of fabric 30′ may include a pair of long edges 32 and 33 on opposite sides thereof and a pair short edges 35 and 36 at opposite ends thereof. As FIG. 7A illustrates, a length of the strip of fabric 30′, i.e., a distance from end 35 to end 36, may exceed a circumference of the inner elastic member 20 (i.e., around the inner elastic member 20 in a toroidal direction). A width of the strip of fabric 30′ may also exceed a distance around a radial section through the inner elastic member 20 (i.e., around the inner elastic member 20 in a poloidal direction).

As depicted by FIG. 7B, the strip of fabric 30′ may be positioned around the circumference of the inner elastic member 20 and positioned around the surface of the inner elastic member 20 in such a way that the long edges 32 and 33 of the strip of fabric 30′ may be brought together. As the strip of fabric 30′ is positioned over the inner elastic member 20, the strip of fabric 30′ may also be gathered along its length. The long edges 32 and 33 of the strip of fabric 30′ may then be secured to each other, for example, by sewing, by gluing, by thermally bonding thermoplastic materials, or in any other suitable way to define a toroidal seam 38.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7C, the short edges 35 and 36 of the strip of fabric 30′ may brought together and secured to one another. The short edges 35 and 36 may be secured to each other in any suitable manner, such as by sewing, by gluing, by thermally bonding thermoplastic materials, or the like. As the short edges 35 and 36 are secured to each other, a poloidal seam 39 is defined. In some embodiments, such as that depicted by FIGS. 7A-7C, the toroidal seam 38 may be formed before the poloidal seam 39. Alternatively, the poloidal seam 39 may be formed before the toroidal seam 38. The result of these processes is an outer tube 30 of a scrunchy 10, such as that depicted by FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, in use, an individual's hair may be gathered together, the scrunchy 10 may be stretched to increase a size of its central opening 12, and then the gathered hair may be introduced through the central opening 12 of the scrunchy 10. The scrunchy 10 may then be twisted and doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc., over the gathered hair to enable the scrunchy 10 to firmly grasp the gathered hair. The scrunchy 10 may be moved into place (e.g., to a location adjacent to the individual's head, etc.) along the gathered hair. Since the scrunchy 10 includes an inner elastic element 20 that lacks a seam or a knot, the scrunchy 10 may not cause any discomfort to the individual as she lies her head down (e.g., on a pillow, on a surface, etc.) or otherwise forces the scrunchy 10 against her head (e.g., with a hat or other headwear, etc.).

Although this disclosure provides many specifics, the specifics should not be construed as limiting the scope of any appended claim, but merely as providing information pertinent to some specific embodiments that may fall within the scopes of the appended claims. Features from different embodiments may be employed in combination. In addition, the scope of each appended claim may encompass other, undisclosed embodiments. All additions to, deletions from, and modifications of the disclosed subject matter that fall within the scopes of the claims are to be embraced by the claims. 

What is claimed:
 1. A scrunchy, comprising: an outer tube defining an annular interior; and an inner elastic element comprising a continuous loop within the outer tube.
 2. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element comprises a fabric.
 3. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element consists of a fabric.
 4. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element is knitted.
 5. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein edges of the inner elastic element roll inwardly upon a midsection of the inner elastic element.
 6. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element lacks a seam.
 7. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the inner elastic element lacks a knot.
 8. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the outer tube comprises a water-resistant fabric.
 9. The scrunchy of claim 1, wherein the outer tube comprises a waterproof fabric.
 10. A scrunchy, comprising: an outer tube defining an annular interior; and an inner elastic element comprising a continuous loop consisting of knitted fabric, the continuous loop lacking a seam or a knot.
 11. The scrunchy of claim 10, wherein the outer tube comprises a water-resistant fabric.
 12. The scrunchy of claim 10, wherein the outer tube comprises a waterproof fabric.
 13. The scrunchy of claim 10, wherein edges of the inner elastic element roll inwardly upon a midsection of the inner elastic element. 